What the 'no hardware' approach actually means
No-hardware translation means: no radio receivers to hand out, no earpieces to sanitise, no interpretation booth, no transmitter to set up, no batteries to charge, and no dedicated AV technician. The only physical item required is a laptop (or tablet) running the translation software connected to your audio source. Attendees bring their own phones.
Is audio quality still good without specialist hardware?
Audio quality into the translation software is what matters. A laptop's built-in microphone is the lowest quality option — it picks up room echo and background noise. For best accuracy, plug a USB audio interface into your laptop and connect it to your sound desk's output. A Behringer UM2 (around £28) or Focusrite Scarlett Solo (around £100) is all you need — neither counts as 'specialist hardware' in any meaningful sense.
How your congregation follows along
Each congregant's smartphone becomes their personal translation receiver. They scan a QR code, choose their language, and read along — using a device they already own and know how to use. The experience is arguably better than earpiece hardware: text on screen is less intrusive than wearing earpieces, the phone can be tilted for glare, and text can be enlarged for better readability.